YEAR 2, WEEK 23, Day 4, Thursday, 5 June 2025

https://esv.literalword.com/?q=joshua+10

Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Thursday, 5 June 2025:

Joshua 10:1–5 — “So Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, to Piram king of Jarmuth, to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying, ‘Come up to me and help me, and let us strike Gibeon. For it has made peace with Joshua and with the people of Israel.’ Then the five kings of the Amorites… gathered their forces and went up with all their armies and encamped against Gibeon and made war against it.”

These verses show how peace with God’s people often incites hostility from the world. Gibeon’s alliance with Israel was a threat to surrounding kings, who saw submission to God’s people as treason. Likewise, those who align with Christ may face increased opposition. But that opposition often confirms we’re on the right side (John 15:19; Ephesians 6:12).

• Matthew 10:22 — …and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Joshua 10:6–7 — “And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, saying, ‘Do not relax your hand from your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the hill country are gathered against us.’ So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor.”

Though deceived by Gibeon earlier (Joshua 9), Joshua honors the covenant he made. His integrity points to the faithfulness of God, who keeps His promises even when we don’t deserve them (2 Tim. 2:13). This is a picture of grace-driven loyalty that reflects God’s covenant nature.

Also, remember the comments from Joshua 9, getting entangled with the world will cause you many unneeded conflicts.

Joshua 10:8 — And the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands. Not a man of them shall stand before you.”

Before the battle begins, God gives Joshua a promise of total victory. God’s word precedes the fight and gives confidence to His people. Notice the past tense: “I have given.” Faith acts on the certainty of God’s word even before the results are visible (Isa. 41:10; Rom. 8:37). God will likely not reveal to you in advance the outcome of the circumstances through which you are going, and His best outcome for you might not look like the victory you had desired; in fact, it might look like complete defeat. But we can walk in bold confidence in the promises of God’s perfect providence. When you are God’s child, everything you are experiencing is filtered and sweetened by God’s sovereign love in preparation for eternal reward.

• Romans 8:28-29 — And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
• 1 Peter 5:10 — And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
• James 1:12 — Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
• Genesis 50:20 — As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
• Romans 5:3-5 — Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
• 1 Corinthians 2:9 — But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—
• Romans 8:35-39 — Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
• James 1:3-4 — for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
• 1 Corinthians 1:9 — God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
• Hebrews 12:6-12 — For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
• 2 Corinthians 4:15-17 — For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison….
• Zechariah 13:9 — And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’”
• 1 Thessalonians 5:9 — For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
• James 2:5 — Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?
• 2 Corinthians 5:1 — For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

“No greater confidence will ever come to you or to any other Christian than the confidence of knowing you are doing God’s will. God will not commission you to do anything without ensuring your success [though success might not be what you imagined]. God assured Joshua that there was no reason to fear as he prepared to battle the Canaanites. God would allow the Israelites to fight the battle, but the outcome was settled before they ever picked up their weapons. What confidence this gave them as they fought! Even though their enemies fought relentlessly, Joshua’s army was certain of eventual victory.

God does not promise you victory in every task you devise, but He does promise that you will be successful whenever you follow His will (Deut. 28:7, 25).

Does it appear that people are keeping you from obeying God’s will? Rest assured that God will not allow anyone or anything to prevent His children from accomplishing His purposes.

Be careful to evaluate success in the way that God does. Perhaps He is working to produce His peace in your heart as you face troubling times. Perhaps He is working to develop a forgiving spirit in you when others mistreat you. Perhaps He is working to eliminate a particular sin in your life. If you accept the world’s understanding of victory, you may feel defeated. If you look to see what God is accomplishing through your situation, you will find that He is succeeding. When you face opposition but know you are doing what God has asked, have confidence that He will accomplish everything that He desires.” (Henry T. Blackaby)

Joshua 10:9–10 — So Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched up all night from Gilgal. And the Lord threw them into a panic before Israel, who struck them with a great blow at Gibeon and chased them…

Joshua’s faith is matched by action—an all-night march, followed by immediate battle. But the decisive blow comes from God. Human obedience and divine power are partners in God’s plan (James 2:17; 1 Cor. 15:10).

Joshua 10:11 — And as they fled before Israel, while they were going down the ascent of Beth-horon, the Lord threw down large stones from heaven on them… and they died. There were more who died because of the hailstones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword.

God Himself joins the battle. Hailstones from heaven show divine intervention. God’s victory exceeds our strength. He fights for His people when they step forward in obedience (Ex. 14:14; Zech. 4:6).

• Exodus 15:3 — The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name.
• 2 Chronicles 20:15 — For the battle is not yours, but God’s.
• 1 John 4:4 — You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
• John 16:33 — I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
• Isaiah 54:17 — No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
• Romans 8:37 — No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
• 1 Corinthians 15:57 — But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Psalm 108:13 — He gives victory through his redemption. He Speaks out of his word; he comes in judgment from his law.
• Romans 8:37 — For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

Joshua 10:12–14 — At that time Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day… and he said in the sight of Israel, “Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.” And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped…. There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord heeded the voice of a man, for the Lord fought for Israel.”

Joshua prays an audacious prayer, and God honors it. This miracle shows that nothing is impossible when we walk in alignment with God’s will and glory. The sun and moon obey their Creator to fulfill His covenant purpose. Bold faith moves mountains—and in this case, halts the heavens (James 5:16; John 14:13).

“There has been no day like it before or since, when the LORD heeded the voice of a man, for the LORD fought for Israel.” God will work through you in a way that reveals Himself — it’s not about you.

Joshua 10:16–27 — These five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave… And Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out…. Put your feet on the necks of these kings.” Then Joshua struck them and put them to death….

Evil cannot hide forever. What is hidden will be revealed (Luke 12:2–3). The image of commanders placing their feet on the kings’ necks recalls God’s promise to crush His enemies underfoot (Rom. 16:20). Jesus will one day subdue every enemy under His feet (1 Cor. 15:25).

Joshua 10:19 — “Pursue your enemies; attack their rear guard. Do not let them enter their cities, for the LORD your God has given them into your hand.”

God’s plan involves thoroughly defeating enemies of the Kingdom.

Joshua 10:27 — But at the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and they set large stones against the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.

Joshua made a public example of God’s enemies but did not desecrate their bodies, remaining faithful to God’s commands. (see Deut 21:22, 23)

Joshua 10:28–43 — As for Makkedah, Joshua captured it on that day and struck it…. He left none remaining. And he did to the king of Makkedah just as he had done to the king of Jericho…. So Joshua struck the whole land…. just as the Lord God of Israel commanded.”

Joshua’s campaign continues city after city. This is a reminder that the war isn’t won in a single battle, and victory is not a time to rest on our laurels or let our guard down. In victory, rejoice, refresh, and return to the fight against sin in order to more increasingly experience the victory already won in Christ.

Joshua’s campaign continues city after city. This fulfills God’s long-standing promise and judgment (Gen. 15:16). It’s a sobering reminder that God is patient, but His justice will come. The full obedience of Joshua prefigures the full victory of Christ in the final judgment (2 Peter 3:9–10; Rev. 19:11).

“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 5 June 2025: “Sun, stand still.” (Joshua 10:12) Honor your commitments. Joshua remained faithful to the Gibeonites even when they had deceived him. Be someone who keeps your word, especially when it’s inconvenient. Pray bold prayers. Ask God to do what only He can do. Don’t let fear keep you from requesting miracles in line with His will. Fight God’s battles with faith. Do your part, trusting that God will do what you cannot. Pray: “Lord, You are the God who makes the sun stand still and hurls hail from heaven. Help me walk in covenant faithfulness, fight with courage, and pray with boldness. I trust Your power more than my own. Use my life to glorify You. In Jesus’ name, amen.”